1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to networking and, more particularly, to decreasing the number of points of management within a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to provide increased network reliability, redundant switches and links are often included in a network. If a switch or link fails, a redundant switch or link, already in place within the network, can quickly be enabled to replace the failed switch or link. Since the redundant switch or link can typically be enabled as a replacement more quickly than the failed component can be replaced or repaired, having redundant links and/or switching can provide a more reliable network.
When redundant components are included within a network, it is often desirable to be able to use the redundant components during normal network operation, before the failure of corresponding components. For example, if two links are implemented between a pair of switches, it is desirable to use both links (as opposed to leaving one link idle) to provide increased bandwidth. However, if multiple redundant links are active at the same time, management of those links may be undesirably complicated (e.g., due to the need to avoid bridging loops). Similarly, if additional network devices are included within a network for redundancy purposes, the management of those network devices can become overly complicated. For example, if configuration changes need to be applied to a class of network devices, service personnel will need to apply the changes to all of the network devices in that class. If the number of network devices is doubled in order to provide increased redundancy, the amount of service personnel effort needed to apply the changes will be doubled. Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to include redundant components in a network without undesirably increasing the expense of managing and maintaining the network.